Some Rewards Take Time To Earn
by GoldGuardian2418
Summary: Title says it all! My first Batman: The Brave And The Bold story, so please be nice in the reviews. :)
**This is another idea I've been kicking around for a long time after watching the Batman: Brave And The Bold episodes: "Deep Cover For Batman!" and "Game Over For Owlman!".**

 **Batman The Brave And The Bold belongs to DC Comics and Warner Brothers. I only own Starlene.**

 **A/N: This story takes place on Earth 23, Red Hood's world.**

* * *

 **Some Rewards Take Time To Earn**

Gentleman Ghost let out a grunt as he took a blow to the shoulder and fell to one knee. His opponent stopped quickly. "Oops," she said. "I think I put a bit too much into that punch."

The ghostly hero shook his head. "That was very good, Starlene," he said. "But yes, perhaps ease up a bit when sparring."

The young girl nodded. "Sorry, uncle," she said.

He nodded gently and straightened his black cape, which signaled training was done for the day.

Starlene walked down the halls of the Justice Underground's headquarters, spotting many of the other heroes and watching a few train. She then saw the newspapers that showed a picture of Red Hood fighting Scarlett Scarab and Blue Bowman.

It had taken a long time for them all to battle against the Injustice Syndicate and actually start winning the battles, but they couldn't defeat the Syndicate for good.

Starlene was sick of fighting them. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. "Starlene?" Red Hood asked.

She turned to him. "Uncle Red Hood, how many more times do we have to fight the Syndicate before they give up?" She asked. "We just win battles, but that's not enough to stop them."

Red Hood understood her frustration. Ever since he had accepted the role of guardian for her, Starlene had been training with them, working on her telekinesis and her X-Ray vision, along with knowing her surroundings, to be a defender like them.

Red Manta came up to them and placed a hand on Starlene's shoulder. "Starlene, I finished your gift, kiddo," he said.

She turned to him. "You mean, that scanner you were making to be compatible with my X-Ray vision?" She asked in surprise.

"That's right," he said. "Since you use your X-Ray vision to see, the scanner would work with your X-Ray vision to give you a clear picture of what's around you."

She smiled. "So no one would ever know that I'm blind," she said.

It was true. Starlene had been born blind and her X-Ray vision had kicked in when she was very young, so she was dependent on it to see. She felt the device, which Red Manta had created into an eyemask for her, being placed around her eyes. "Also, the sensors with stimulate your X-ray vision, so you don't have to constantly think to use it," said Red Manta. "Can you see me?"

Starlene nodded. "Crystal clear," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Uncle Manta."

He nodded. "Sorry it took me so long to create it. I wanted it to be working perfectly for you," he said.

She smiled. "I'm glad you did," she said. "It was so worth the wait."

That drew chuckles from her two uncles and Red Hood gave his niece a playful noogie. "So the reward was worth waiting for, hmm?" He asked playfully.

Starlene nodded and then realized what her uncle was pointing out. "I guess ultimate victory is worth waiting for too, no matter how many battles you fight," she said. "Right?"

"That's right," he said. "Each small victory is leading up to the ultimate victory. Silver Cyclone is destroyed, so there's one victory and we have quite a few of the villains locked up, so there's another victory."

She now understood. "But each victory takes time to win and to earn those victories, we have to take time to prepare for the fights," she said thoughtfully.

"Yes," said Gentleman Ghost. "And hopefully, all those small victories will soon reap the reward we are looking forward to."

Everyone nodded in agreement and Starlene looked thoughtful again before smiling. "I hope Batman and his friends will enjoy that same victory soon too," she said. "He's so much like us."

"Yes," said Red Hood.

Suddenly, Red Manta and Gentleman Ghost grabbed Starlene and playfully, yet gently, tossed her to Grodd, who caught her before she jumped up on his shoulders and then tackled Clock King, who chuckled heartily as he caught her.

Red Hood chuckled as he saw his friends roughhousing with their niece, who was actually proving difficult to be caught, thanks to her training. He shook his head in amusement and went back to his office to keep an eye out for Owlman and his crooks.

And hope that another victory would bring them closer to the ultimate reward of peace.

* * *

 **Please leave a review, but no flames!**

 **GoldGuardian2418**


End file.
